To me, these survey results seem very unsurprising. Most American’s believe in a God, and most of those believe in an omnipotent God. Saying that God could save the life of a terminal patient, then, is really just a definitional inevitability. It’s not the same as saying that He will, though.

Devyn,

It makes me wonder why God intervenes so infrequently in matters of life and death. Perhaps He is bound by some law(s) that prevent Him from doing so?

I think that if he intervenes too frequently, those who didn’t get intervention will be mad at him for forgetting them, or considering them unworthy of intervention. I think it also shows us that while this life is vitally important in the eternal sense, death is not really that big of a deal.

Dan - Then the question becomes, why does He bother to intervene at all then in the limited cases where He does? It seems rather inconsistent and haphazard to me.

Clark - agree on could vs does, but if God has never moved a mountain, could He really do it? Seems to me that maybe that perhaps there are limitations to His power in reality although not theoretically… Of course, I am a mere mortal with limited brain power, but this is my limited interpretation.

Devyn, here’s a possible answer.
We come to earth for various reasons. One of those is to develop faith, because that faith will be critically important for our active existence in the next life. Therefore, on the outside (for the person who is not experiencing the miracle) there must be enough uncertainty as to whether or not it was God for those who need to develop faith to have the opportunity.
I believe that the miraculous happen everyday, however God remains subtle in doing so. If His hand were obvious, people might forget the importance of faith, the difficulty of the struggle to obtain it, and the purposes of this life.
Another study found that 87% of survivors of Hurricane Katrina (aka trials) felt that their faith in God was strengthened. (The atheist who reported that number seemed offended that so many would believe in God more after seeing suffering–God works in mysterious ways.)

Now, I want you to know that your question about God’s power being limited could very well have truth. He created this world and us with pre-existing materials, and therefore He likely chooses to work within many of the natural parameters of those materials. Indeed, some rules He may not or cannot break (such as justice).

On the general scale (not instance by instance):
1-Maybe the natures of eternal existence prohibit such an action. (Perhaps in order to give moral agents opposition in all things to choose, there needs to be enough difficulty to choose Him over despair…)
2-Maybe the suffering provides the individuals involved the difficulties needed to develop faith (by so interfering He prevents a greater good)
3-Maybe He needs to ensure that His works are beyond the scope of science’s ability to detect for faith’s sake (again perhaps preventing a greater good)
4-He is likely performing more miracles than we see, however healing (when lives are at stake) seem to be the most obvious to us. Perhaps we are looking incorrectly at the situations.
5-Perhaps we just need the real world experience of living in a fallen world, as the elements would be if left to themselves.
6-[insert better ideas here]

The list is not all-inclusive, but it provides some ideas, at least for thought.

Whoops. Wasn’t ready to hit enter.

Anyway my real post is that it’s a pretty bad question since it conflates can and does.

But then most of the questions of this sort are bad.

nasamomdele,

That may be another option (that the miraculous is bound by those who have faith in it). I think maybe a conglomeration of these ideas could give a fuller picture.

I think part of your last point is stated in my clumsy fourth generalization. Perhaps we aren’t looking correctly at the miraculous. I am one who doesn’t believe that a miracle has to be inexplicable by science to be a miracle.

really it is not easy to answer your questions.they are my question too.if god can do this people,then why not he does it every time?your article made me thoughtful.waiting for your next post like this. just want to say ,thank you.

Devyn,

Your colleagues at Harvard Medical School have completed a study that shows prayer is not effective at healing people. But to be convincing to the crowd here at MM, we demand data on LDS Priesthood blessings.

http://web.med.harvard.edu/sites/RELEASES/html/3_31STEP.html

Boyd K Packer once said, “Do not suppose that God causes those things that for his own purposes he permits.” I believe in a lot more ‘hands off’ God than most people. I think when god intervenes to save a life it is because someone else’s use of their own agency caused a consequense (someone’s death) that for his own purposes, God is not ready to permit.

M & Nasamomdele - I think that all miracles should be explained by science - perhaps we don’t have that knowledge of the scientific principles yet, but they should all be explainable in my mind

#15 Tagore - yes that was an interesting study - basically proves that if you randomly try to force God into an experiment, He may choose not to participate…

Ron - I agree with your hands off God, although He does intervene in instances that are self-imposed - many of htese examples in The Book of Mormon.